


Castle

by lilacnightmares



Series: Flowers of Paradise [11]
Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Bad Ending, Anxiety, Bad Ending, Constructive Criticism unwanted, Dependency, Depression, Emotional Manipulation, F/F, Infatuation, Manipulation, Not Beta Read, Possessive Behavior, Power Play, Psychological Trauma, Savior Saeran, Tricks, standalone fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:41:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27151936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilacnightmares/pseuds/lilacnightmares
Summary: It was a mistake to take his assistant and trap her within briar and bramble. Her devotion to him was far stronger than her devotion to paradise, and the instant she knew that her boss wasn't being given everything he was promised? She decided to destroy them all and repaint fate in his honor. No longer a scared princess, but a queen determined to bring about a new rule to paradise for her king.Based on the Prologue's Bad Ending. Canon Divergence to Petunia. A standalone fic that can read without reading any of the other stories in the series.
Relationships: Choi Saeran/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Flowers of Paradise [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1271537
Kudos: 5





	Castle

He would never be satisfied, never truly satisfied, because as it turned out, revenge was not the thing that would give him everything he ever wanted and craved. 

No, as much as his one Savior wanted him to believe that he would gain everything he ever wanted, he would find that power tasted of the Gods and he couldn’t stop tasting the fruit of temptation. Wisteria could see that, but did she do anything about that?

No. 

As long as he was happy and as long as he remained as he was without fail, she was happy to be by his side. She couldn’t remember what it felt like to be without Saeran, nor did she want to remember what it was like to be away from him. She had given her heart, her soul, her hopes, her dreams, her body, her mind, and her everything. 

At first, it had been to protect him from the pain that his so-called true Savior inflicted upon him. She saw his suffering and she knew she could take it from his shoulders and shroud him with a veil of light’s protection. She did it, and she drank to her till madness overclaimed her mind as the price. 

A small price to pay for her faith in this man in the scheme of things, she thought. 

Wisteria had no regrets. 

Why would she? 

After all, her faith in him had proven to be noble and just. Her willingness to help him with his plans with a coy smile had given him his dream. His dream of destroying the ones that had destroyed the life and freedom that he so desperately craved. One by one, she held his hand and put down the pieces that would force his enemies, by extension now her enemies, to fall to their knees and come to paradise. 

It all started when the pick as a replacement coordinator she had chosen had stolen the heart of the liar just as she had known would happen. A smile that bright? It hadn’t taken much to twist his heart and have him pleading. Saeran took care of the rest. Laid the groundwork and watched as Luciel had no say or choice but to chase after them to paradise. 

When they did do it? 

They were ready, waiting, and all-too-happy to destroy them. The guards took hold of the redhead and his two companions, the informant that had been living with him, and the party coordinator, and he’d pleaded for their lives to be spared. Saeran took sadistic glee in making an offer with the liar. He let the two of them go, but only because they never return—

And that Luciel would teach him everything he knew about hacking. 

Of course, there was whining and crying, but Luciel took the offer and made the deal. He bowed his head and those two were removed from the area. If they dared to come back to tell the RFA, Luciel would lose his head. Wisteria spared the girl with golden curls a parting look as she was pulled away by the raven-haired man. 

She looked distraught, but Wisteria was apathetic. 

It wasn’t her fault, sure, but she would be alright. The wound would heal in due time and she would forget all about him. Even if she didn’t, she had no say in changing what had happened. They smashed the communication line with the RFA and Saeran destroyed all the files remotely that would be found in Luciel’s bunker to get either one of them in touch with the RFA again. 

Any funny business by approaching the RFA and Saeran would know. As far as Wisteria knew, the informant had taken her out of the country. That saved them the trouble of any messy business so it was all finally coming together. 

No loss, only  _ gains _ . 

He took such a delightful glee in knowing that he held all the cards. Wisteria saw the grin on his face and she had never known such joy in those eyes. There had been a time when she saw a tenderness in those eyes and wanted to covet them; But, now, she knew that he had been given what he wanted and he could truly be freed from his chains. 

The second part of the plan continued from that point. Luciel spent a lot of time with Saeran, numbly teaching him everything that he knew and everything about his life. Wisteria only came into the room to ensure that he was faring well being trapped with the liar that she knew he feared and loathed so very much now and again. 

His vindictive tone, the hatred in his eyes, and that look of prosperity he gained every time Luciel choked back a whimper. 

That liar was broken, pathetic, and she couldn’t believe that this man had been the one to leave his brother behind. Spineless, weak, and too soft. There was a reason why Saeran was the strongest and this was a testament to that. He had suffered to gain this strength and it was all paying off, even if she felt as though his suffering had been wrong from the start.

His suffering… caused by these liars… these traitors… and the ones that said that they truly wanted to protect him. They were all liars. She had made up her mind months ago. Everyone had used and hurt him for their gain. Well, that wasn’t right. Especially when she saw how more and more the Savior had started to pressure him.

She wanted the RFA to fall. 

She wanted it to happen now. 

She wouldn’t rest until Saeran brought the traitor to his knees in front of her throne. She had grown bitter and restless, although too excited of what was ahead, or perhaps she was angry that the game of hers hadn’t gone on as long as she wanted. It was hard to say what went on in that heard of hers these days. 

Her patronizing tone and lie-fueled sermons to the people of Magenta… the way she looked at her one strongest member and followers and used him as a pawn, merely nothing more than that. Wisteria was never going to have that. 

The Savior wasn’t Wisteria’s favorite person in the world given how many times the woman punished her in Saeran’s place. She took those cleansings with a bow of her head, gritting her teeth. She didn’t fight back but there was no hiding where her loyalty lied in paradise. It wasn’t with that woman, it was only with Saeran. 

Perhaps that was why the next chain of events came together and brought about a shift to the power of paradise. 

It all started with the conversion of the RFA. They started with the more vulnerable members and went to the harder targets one by one. It was all too easy to trick them. They were all confused and so very lost. Their precious hacker went missing, no word from their party coordinator, and no way to find that apartment to give them any of their answers. 

Luciel’s fault for failing to give them any information that could be used to trace him if anything went wrong. It was his failure. His stupidity. He could only blame himself for what happened. If he had any sense left, that is.

She and Saeran split the duty of convincing them. It was a great help that his face matched the one he detested so much. He wasn’t happy about returning his hair to a state of red after so many months of forcing bleach into his roots to kill the color but he never quite could, given the hum of pink almost gave away his secret. But, it was a matter of completing his ultimate task. 

Her fingertips brushed against the red strands as soon as he appeared in the doorway, those mint eyes of his telling her that he was still hers, and no one else’s. “Soon they’ll bow to us, my love,” she gave him the softest whisper. “A small price to pay for victory.” 

And he would catch her wrist with his palm, gripping it tightly as if to prove that she was standing there with him after all this time. That chuckle that escaped his lips reverberating in the darkness and the hum of the reflected blue light.

“ _ Us _ ?” his words were a playful taunt, as his only moments of tenderness were given to her alone as if searching her brown eyes for the explanation behind those words. It didn’t take him long to discern the thoughts playing out in her mind. It was wicked, underhanded, and blasphemous. 

Yet, this time, he did not question it. 

Oh, how Wisteria relished the way his eyes gazed upon her in satisfaction and pride. She would swallow every last drop of his emerald daydream until her lungs burned. Nothing was stopping the fall of them down deep into this rabbit hole. No turning back, no regrets, and not a trace of mercy for those that drew their line in the sand. 

“Only us,” she replied. 

—

Yoosung was the first one to fall into this trap. His grief and his desperation to know the truth about Rika was all too strong to stop him from listening to “Luciel” who called him late into the night with a whisper of “everyone is in danger, Yoosung, V’s been lying to all of us.” 

Before he knew it, he’d be pulled deep into paradise where Rika swayed him to join them. He was always such a loyal dog to his cousin. His mistrust of V suddenly felt more and more like it was truly warranted. 

Zen was the second one, all too swayed by the doll eyes of a girl in danger. Wisteria extended her hand to him with nervous tears in her eyes. He listened to someone sweet who looked innocent and in need of a prince charming. His reputation on the line, whispers of Echo Girl on the prowl to destroy him for denying her advances. 

Wisteria convinced him that she had a role for him that could overshadow everything that she was trying to rip away from him. A true knight in shining armor, he followed the white rabbit to paradise where Rika gave him a stage of his own. 

Jaehee was the next one to make a mistake. She was a smart one, but she wasn’t too smart to think her trust in her idols was misplaced. Wisteria was all too happy to send bring Zen along to take the assistant with a smile on her face. She had been convinced by him, but he reassured her worries saying that he had left to detox from the media stress. He knew how stressed she was with Jumin breathing down her neck. 

Come to this retreat, he whispered. Jaehee’s weakness was that she could never stop looking at Zen with adoration to think that he wouldn’t ever twist her word against her so readily. He was such a marvelous actor and a great benefit to paradise. Strong and precise, Rika extended her hand to her close female friend to experience true empowerment in her career. 

Jumin was their last target and the hardest one to convince. His faith in his best friend was wavering, however, as Jihyun had spent more and more time away. Yoosung had seemingly left, Zen had gone off on a retreat, Jaehee had up and quit her job, and there was no sign of Luciel or Minji anymore. He was alone least you counted his cat. 

Tricky as it was, he was the only step left in the plan, and Saeran wasn’t going to stop. She saw that in his eyes. He wasn’t one that would be tricked through mind games. Neither one of them were going to twist his arm to get him to listen to reason, they had to bring him to the Savior and lay the groundwork for the game plan. 

The good thing was one simple fact: None of the RFA had ever seen Minji’s face. 

Her voice had been far removed from them enough that Wisteria could easily take her place. So, they went to the lonely penthouse to speak to him directly with the falsified documents and a story on their lips. Disgusting as it was to play the role of Seven and Minji, it had to be done. Jumin was willing to listen since their absence had been scary. 

He was suspicious, sure, but Saeran sold the part of the liar so very well. 

And so, Jumin Han inevitably fell to the hand of Mint Eye, cementing the final piece to the puzzle. All obstacles destroyed, all paths taken, the plan to take control of everything, and prove the power of darkness was complete. It had been a long time coming and now, Saeran could truly gain his freedom from misery. 

A weight lifted from his shoulders, that’s what Wisteria wanted to see. 

However, just as she expected, the Savior wouldn’t allow him such freedom. She stared at him after he had given her everything that he had asked of her to do, and told him he could do better. She wouldn’t praise him until the traitor was on his knees pleading for mercy. No thanks, no gratitude, not even a single look of sincerity. 

Saeran had given her his life. 

She had repaid him with burning lungs, night terrors, and endless burns to his eyes. This paradise was not ever going to be enough for him. That simply couldn’t do. That simply wasn’t done. Oh, the final bridge had been burned into Wisteria’s core and that’s the moment that she started the true finals steps of her plan. The Savior had made her this monster and Wisteria wouldn’t stop until she proved who the strongest monster was here. 

It wasn’t hard to locate the traitor. 

Wisteria had known where he was for a while and she had been waiting for the right moment to tell Saeran where he was. He had been hiding in paradise, trying to undermine their plans from the inside out. She caught him without much trouble, knowing that this man was bathed in regret, guilt, and the sin of his choices. 

She saw the ache in his heart. 

The man that had been tricked and Saeran had been taken away from him. Yet, he knew where Saeran was and what he was suffering. He wasn’t innocent and her heart scorned him just as much as she did Rika. She extended her hand to him, eyes sparkling with the only option that this man had left to take least Rika grabbed him first. 

“She will never give Saeran the freedom he’s been promised,” Wisteria spoke lowly, her eyes trained on the tall figure. “He’s given her everything she’s asked of him except for you. When she has you, I know she is going to use him until he breaks. Then, she’ll use Luciel until he breaks. Who is to say that she won’t use us all till we’re broken playthings?” 

“What are you proposing exactly?” V was wary, as he should be, as he gazed at her hand with his one good eye. 

“Don’t get me wrong,” she said. “I’m not intending on letting anyone escape. I want to see this place become a real paradise for Saeran where he can be happy and safe. The only person standing in my way of that dream is Rika.”

It seemed to click for V what she wanted. “You want to overthrow Rika and take control for yourself, do you not?” 

The deliciously wicked smile on Wisteria’s face only grew. “Hahaha… no, no. You’ve got it all wrong, Jihyun Kim. I don’t want power for myself. I want it for Saeran. Why would I want to subject him to bow his head to another queen? I just need your help so she will submit her will to me. I’ve already had the luxury of the RFA’s trust in me, but that’s nothing without her. And you know the only thing that Rika respects?” 

Silence. 

They both knew the answer to that. 

_ Power.  _

That was why V had no choice but to take her hand. His friends were already too far fallen into this place and there was no hope of him being able to dig them out of this pit. He didn’t want to see Rika destroy them all. He didn’t know if he could trust Wisteria, but he knew that her words were sincere when it came to Saeran. He had seen her do everything for him. 

Backed into a corner, he had to trust her and take the deal. 

She smiled so broadly as she called a meeting with everyone. Oh, how deeply Wisteria loved the look on Rika’s face when the woman realized that V had bowed his head to Saeran and Wisteria alone. He said in no unspoken terms that Saeran had been the one to break him down to this point. 

It was Saeran’s power alone that broken everything. 

Rika lashed out, wildly and hard, and the guards had no choice but to hold her back. The people couldn’t believe that the Savior had lost her composure and that she had tried to harm who everyone thought to be her most loyal followers. Even the former members of the RFA had to admit that Rika was out of line. 

She needed  _ help _ . 

How could she look at her most loyal follower and say that she wished she had gotten rid of him when she had the chance? Her kindness and mask of a savior broken to pieces, shattered on the ground like the glass it was. 

Paradise was forgiving, even to the Savior, and with the realization that Saeran had carried out all the dirty work proved to the members that he was the strongest… just as Wisteria had always known him to be. She rested her hand against Saeran’s shoulder, so happy to be by his side as the former Savior was taken to her quarters to  _ recover _ . 

“The Savior has unfortunately proven that paradise can only be obtained by those willing to admit their sins,” she said, eyes flickering between the group. “Even she is with doubt and earthly pain. So, while we do our best to help her see the light of salvation once more, I say we vote here and now as to who should be our king. We all know who that is. The one person who has proven to be committed to the wealth and prosperity of our people.” 

Saeran didn’t seem as surprised as he should’ve been, but, he knew that Wisteria would never stop to protect him. She had long warned him that Rika was going to turn against him, even though he had his doubts, this was the proof he needed. His loyal assistant had proven her worth and her merit to him time and time again. She was his for a reason and he was grateful for her power at his side. She knew what to say. She knew what to do. She had known what to give him. 

She had seen his dream of absolution and given it to him. 

“He was the one that showed us everything. He should be in charge… I mean, Rika chose him for a reason. She trusts him, even if she’s lost right now.” 

“She’s been with him the longest, after all.” 

“Wisteria is right. Saeran was there for us when we needed to know what happened. He can surely direct the Mint Eye in her stead for now.”

“Then we agree?” 

“Quite.” 

—

Heavy is the head that wears the crown. At least, that’s how the saying goes. For Saeran, it was far too easy to step into the role of leader over the people. Paradise was undergoing a renewal and changes in the way of progress were being made. No more elixir, no more torture, no more lies to get the people to submit to the will of utopia, and no more fear in the eyes of the masses. 

Well, unless of course it  _ was  _ needed, but seldom was it needed these days. 

They took in the weary and the tired, the downtrodden and the weak, and gave them a haven to exist without fear of punishment from the cruel outside world. Saeran had plans and goals to ascertain in the way of progress, but he was not walking this path alone. He had the remains of the RFA on his side to sway the populace. 

Jumin’s money and power went a long way, and it protected them from legal remorse. Zen was far too easy to lure in those that trusted his blinding smile and stardom. Jaehee knew how to protect their long list of rules and inner functions of their paperwork system, ensuring everyone was in line. Yoosung had the in with the younger crowd, always offering depressed students a club to join. 

After Rika cooled her head, she soon realized that Saeran was doing her job far better than she ever was, and she let him keep control. He would have had it whether she agreed or not. Still, it was less trouble for him when she bowed her head and commented on his darkness, how it had taken ahold of him, and shown him the way. 

She held no power over him anymore, and that was all the sting it needed to sink home the fact that she would never have the satisfaction of her revenge. Every moment she bowed her head to him, she had to look Wisteria in the eyes at his side, knowing that her actions and choices were her undoings. She had been outsmarted and destroyed by the very person she had tried to break. 

If anything, Rika knew she had been defeated. Oh, there was still anger in those eyes of hers but she knew that everyone had made up their minds when she lashed out. She knew that she either went along with things or she would wind up locked away like the rest of the traitors. From the gaze in Wisteria’s eyes, Rika understood how quickly the girl was prepared for that. 

Try me, her devious brown eyes dared. 

You could almost say that she respected yet despised the devil that her two followers had. She had got what she wanted, the destruction and assimilation of the RFA. They all were contentedly living in the place of paradise with her now, even if she wasn’t the one calling the shots anymore. Even V, though he Saeran’s anger at that man was palpable.

The mint-haired man had sunk to his knees and pleaded for forgiveness in his failure to act. Saeran, of course, didn’t forgive him, instead, letting him know if he wanted to prove his worth and his words, then he had to use actions and not false promises. V accepted his fate and joined the rest of the RFA in their mission. 

He delighted in the power he now held in his hands, he could make everyone that ever left him squirm and plead for his mercy. That only left one loose end in the basement. That could be taken care of at any moment he pleased, but Wisteria knew that Saeran was waiting for all the puzzle pieces to come together before he played that game. 

Wisteria couldn’t have been happier herself, strewn across his lap with a delighted smile on her face in the throne room. He didn’t mind at all that she doted on him now, whereas in the past he had enjoyed it more when they were alone. They had nothing to fear in Rika’s judgment. There was no more holy judgment stopping them. 

Nothing to worry about now, no more trials and begging for his safety, he was the top dog and at peace. That was what she had been fighting for all this time. Perhaps there had been a time when her perspective on what was utterly the best for him had been different, but there was no going to being the goody-two-shoes princess. 

She couldn’t hold back the laughter on her lips, her hand gently caressing his cheek and calling his mint eyes to look at her and only herself. “My  _ king _ ,” she teased, playfully. “Tell me, are you happy with your paradise?” 

Those eyes of his were filled with a kind of amusement that she couldn’t describe. “You know the answer to that question,  _ my  _ queen,” he chuckled. “I couldn’t be more pleased with how you always know whose head to bring to me.”

“I wouldn’t be yours if I didn’t know how to bring you pleasure.” 

“Who let you get such an ego?” 

“Mmm, I learned from the strongest…” she sat up to lean closer to his embrace. Her thumb tracing the line of his lip as she spoke. “You always give me what I deserve. That’s why you’re my king, darling. I’ve ensured that no one would dare question you ever again. They know what you’re capable of and how hard you work.”

Saeran let her fret over him. He didn’t stop her as she adjusted the crown atop his head, nor did he stop her when she brushed her forehead against his. “You have everything and nothing will ever take it from you again. Power, control, dominance, and strength. I see it all in your eyes. I can’t wait to see the lovely future you paint for us.” 

Her laugh echoed throughout the room. “Of course, if it must be painted red to ensure peace can be maintained, so be it. I’ll be by your side through all of it.” 

“I expect no less from you, spoiled brat,” he said, leaning forward to steal a kiss from her lips. One of those lingering kisses that burns your lungs until you can’t catch your breath or make your heart stop spiraling. Their reign over paradise was unprecedented but more than welcomed by the people. It was only a matter of time until this happened, anyway. 

The sound of an opening door drew their attention away from each other, and while it brought a scowl to Saeran’s face, he changed his tune when he realized that they had done what he asked of them; It had taken no time at all for them to fetch the problem. Wisteria slid from his lap and settled on the armrest. 

The members of the disbanded RFA had entered the room and taken their respectful spots. They bowed their head in acknowledgment. Strange to see them all together like this but it was worth the trouble to gather them all at once to witness things finally come to the final spot of retribution in this game of chess. 

“Oh? Are we taking care of  _ that  _ today?” 

“Mmm. Bring in the liar,” Saeran’s smirk couldn’t have grown any taller than it had. “We’ve got the final judgment to make.” 

—

Tired eyes, skin white from having been cooped up in the darkest area of paradise, red hair just a bit longer and disheveled as it hovered over his shoulders. Luciel didn’t lift his head of his own accord, but when Saeran hissed at him to look, he looked. He had no choice but to see the eyes of everyone that he had come to care for turned against him. There was no sympathy in their eyes but he didn't expect to see any, nor any pity. This was his ending. 

He looked as though he had accepted that this was his fate. 

There was no other choice for him. 

Saeran wasn’t alone anymore, and even if this was hell on Earth for him, as long as he looked so happy to have all of this, then Saeyoung was ready to accept his punishment. Be it death or isolation until he wished he was dead. As long as his brother was happy and free from the chains of anything that could hurt him, then this was his fate. 

He would be protected by the RFA, and he wouldn’t have to live in fear of what their father could do to him anymore. As twisted as it was, just to see Saeran live without fear was what he wanted. He never should have left his brother behind, he knew, but he had placed his hope in people that he thought he could trust. 

“Not so high and mighty is he? For a man that claimed to be God, all I see is a bug begging to be put out of its misery.” 

The laughter that escaped Saeran was wild, crazed, and pleased. He was on the throne, he was the king of this paradise now. He had everything in the palm of his hands and nothing was ever going to take it from him again. He could forever live the rest of his life knowing that he won in the end. His dreams were given to him. 

If this was the path he was to take, as long as he had people that believed in him… 

Luciel watched as Saeran pretended to think about the punishment he was to give out. No, those eyes knew exactly what he wanted. He watched as Wisteria interlaced her fingers with his own and coaxed him to speak his pain. 

“Now, it’s his turn to know what it feels like to rot in the begotten darkness where nobody will ever dare come to save him. It’s a fitting punishment, wouldn’t you say? He won’t die. But, he’ll wish he was dead. He’ll beg me to kill me but I won’t do it. His punishment is to live with his sin. I think it’s only fair he suffers how he forced me to suffer.” 

This was his punishment. 

Luciel was the name of the man who took his licks from heaven and accepted the wrath of hell with open arms. As long as his brother was happy, he would gladly suffer until the end of his days. 


End file.
